Baby ZThis week was a little bit harder than the last few, as you will eventually learn, coming back from vacation is a toughie! Returning from the cruise with you starting to show was exciting and I loved all the new people noticing that you were going to be arriving in a few months. You gave me energy all week to make it to 3 boot camps and you even had me eating a lot of delicious food! Only downfall were these headaches, for four days I have not been able to get rid of it. Massages, baths, Tylenol, and more sleep have not made a dent. I am hoping that whatever we have going on will pass soon.

Next week we are going to get to see you again! You will be 19 weeks and 1 day and we will be taking your measurements and we are also going to be able to find out if you are a girl or a boy! I haven't been this excited about anything in awhile, you really have no idea how much I want to start calling you by your name. We won't be actually finding out until the 16th when we have a party just for you! Lots of friends and family will be joining. Some are flying in, Skyping in and driving in. They all love you so much and we could not be more thankful for the support system we have in place with our amazing friends. I wish they would all have babies asap so that you can have lots of besties to play with ;) At this party we will bite into a cupcake that will tell us if you are a boy or a girl [I will explain Pinterest and our cupcake love to you later] then you will go from Baby Z to Baby C or D depending on your gender! I hope you love your initials as much as we do!

Love you baby babyHave a good rest of your week, kick soon!xoNikol

Hey other pregnant ladies! Any tips on headache cures? I spoke to my doctor and I guess I can take a Tylenol Codeine IF I HAVE TO I will keep trying to just deal with it but come day 6 or 8 who knows.

This weekend we are packing up and heading to SD for Baby Montans baby shower! So excited, the surprise theme is just too cute and I can't wait to share pictures after the party. Looking forward to showering Kristen with gifts and then stealing a few ideas for my own.

Right now Ryan and I are just plugging along, work is going well for both of us and we are trying to figure out what will happen once the baby comes. Starting to think about our gender reveal party, our own shower, baby moon and the many wedding bachelorette and bachelor party activities. We have a fun and busy year ahead of us. The reveal is right around the corner and since the theme is Waddle It Bee I have many rubber duckies floating around my house right now, really thrilled to get so many friends together in a few weekends.

For such a teeny little one you sure are rocking my emotions, and I love you more because of it.

This week was the most relaxing one of 2013 :) we cruised from LB to Catalina to Ensenada and back again. My sisters, Ryan and I decided to take my parents on a cruise for their 32nd anniversary and Ryan and I decided to go along with them. We napped, we ate and we laughed. It was a really great time and I didn't even get as sick as I usually do on cruises, win win.

Another really fun and exciting thing [well for us anyway] is that my tummy popped out!! I am so excited [and nervous and uncomfortable] it grew overnight. Maybe the baby loves cruises, as soon as we were on the boat I HAD TO HAVE A HOT DOG and the next morning only one of my dresses fit and none of my pants.

Our baby is growing and so am I, I finally think that people can see the baby bump and I am looking forward to going and buying some pants that fit and figuring out what my maternity style will be like, probably really similar to my pre pregnancy style since I never really had one - but it will still be fun to play around with it.

I am not LOVING my 17 week picture haha on a cruise ship its a little tough to find a big onion but you can easily find fried onion rings so these will have to do. At 17 weeks Baby Z is about 5 inches long and weighs almost 6 ounces, I sometimes still cant wrap my head around the fact that I am creating a little person but once we know the gender I think it will be much easier to think about what it will be like come August.

We are starting to share our baby names with our family, we are very happy that everyone seems to love them. I change my mind of what I think the babies gender will be so every day I refer to them by one name or the other and they both sound like a little lady and a little man that I know will make us super proud and we will love beyond comprehension.

Once we arrived home from the cruise we headed to Buy Buy Baby to register for a few more things that we didn't register for at Target. I am so glad that there are completion discounts because man that stuff adds up. It was so fun to pick out things we think the baby will like and need and grow with. The nursery seems like it will be a combination of dinosaurs, Winnie and cute random themes. I don't have the best follow through when it comes to themes because too many things make me excited. I think Baby Z and I will have that in common. Hope you have all been doing well and thank you so much for reading and playing along with this fun part of our lives.

Hey Baby Z,

I am starting to feel you. I THINK I felt you give me a little kick the other day but I am not 100% sure yet but I know for a fact I can feel your little body sitting on my insides while I sleep. On the cruise you loved to be right up on my ribs and when I would switch sides I could feel you slide on over. I loved it, yes I had to do this about 10 times but that means I was able to feel you getting comfortable inside of your tummy home and it made it worth it. Plus I was able to nap nap nap it up so really I couldn't complain even if I wanted to.Your dad wrote you a blog last week and I think I cried for a good portion of the afternoon just thinking about it, he loves us so much and I hope that when you are born you instantly know that. I can already see him teaching you things, cheering you on and spoiling you and it makes me all warm inside. I am so excited for you to feel this love in person.Bye bye for now my little onion.love, your mommy,

Today was the fist day I allowed myself to imagine what you’re going to be like. While your Momma napped on the couch I came into your nursery with sunlight streaming onto the slate blue walls and ran my hands across the curves of your crib. My fingertips felt every grain for imperfections and I wondered what it’ll look like when you’re in there, staring back at me. I shook it a little to see if it fell to pieces. I pressed my face against it. I rubbed my boogers on it before you ever got the chance.For these first three months since we found out you were joining us, I’ve been in preparation mode. Whether that means working extra hard, learning everything I can or making sure to absorb what other kids are doing when we’re around them, everything me and Momma have been doing has been to get ready for you. On Friday I recorded a radio interview while I built your crib. Don’t let Momma tell you I can’t multi-task.I never thought about what you’ll be like, though. That doesn’t seem to make much sense because you’re just going to be yourself, anyway, so anything I can imagine is irrelevant. I have a feeling you’ll be like Momma and do what you want, when you want. So I don’t imagine. I wonder a lot, though. I wonder what you’ll look like and what you’ll be interested in and what will excite you. What will scare you, what will motivate you and what you’ll say. I don’t want to predict. But I do want to know.When your crib was all done, me and Momma took the boxes and made a maze for your big sister Winnie. It had obstacles and tunnels and secret passageways and all kinds of stuff that I want to believe guinea pigs like. Winnie was scared, probably because it was all new, and tip-toed through it inch by inch with her long nails scattering across the cardboard. Eventually she grew curious, and then confident. She squeezed through tight spaces and leapt over treacherous barriers and me and Momma cheered her on and laughed and laughed. We tried to tell Winnie where to go and what to do but in the end it was all up to her, and that was fine.I don’t know what you’re going to be like and who you’re going to become because that’s not up to me. Or your Momma (subject to change) or anybody else. You may not know either, at first, and that’s ok because with every dark tunnel and impossible hurdle you’ll know a little more and a little more. And me and Momma will be here to cheer you on at every turn, maybe giving you a little boost when you need it and helping you rebuild when you knock something down.Your nursery is really starting to come together. A lot of people came over to help it get ready because they’re excited to meet you and get to know you, too. There are no jagged edges on the big, sturdy, walnut-stained crib under the window so it will be just fine. Laying you down in it will be one of the most memorable moments of my life – I know that for sure. I don’t have to imagine. I don’t have to wonder.

If you know me then you know that I reallyreallyreally LOVE avocado on toast and if you follow baby sizes in relation to fruits&veggies then you know that 16 weeks equals an avocado. This just feels like the most perfect one yet because it goes so well with my cravings and I got to go out and buy an avocado for this picture and now I get to eat it :) oh happy day!

The midwife suggests that I don't gain any more weight until I am 20 weeks, she must be joking because I am starving at all times and even with my workouts [I go as often as I can but I will try and step it up after our vacation] I am still gaining weight. I also am really trying my hardest to not allow myself to get down about the weight gain, I am building a little person who wants to eat lollipops, melted cheese and soy sauce. "What baby wants baby gets" is what Teresa keeps telling me!

Monday we leave on a four day Baja Mexico cruise with my parents, we are celebrating their anniversary and ours as well. It should be a lot of fun! Relaxation, lots of food, and sight seeing in Catalina&Ensenada. When we booked this last August we had no idea that I would be pregnant and I really think it is such a blessing to have a vacation already set up for us! We are still planning on a babymoon come June but this week off is totally needed.

The picture below is of me and the baby bump in the nursery, the paint is all dried and there are only a few very small touch ups needed! I was so excited to finally be able to start taking pictures in the baby room. This weekend we plan on building the crib and starting to get the room situated so we know what we are working with.

Baby Z started to receive gifts before we were ready to share the news with everyone so here are a few snap shots of wonderful gifts we have gotten. Teresa took a trip to Vegas right after we shared our news and she came back with the perfect onesie! I am not so sure why I love onesies so much but I think our baby will be living in them. Erica and Ryan wanted to be the first one to get the baby a book and they got the funnest one! Dinos and Goldilocks ahah what a combo, such a thoughtful and fun gift. Jaclyn and Andy got us a cute book set of Brown Bear & Friends that also has a book on cd, I am sure we will be using that a bunch! I know I already shared with you the little homemade booties that Lindsey made, the bath stuff Stephanie sent us for the baby and the precious frame that Sharon & Pam surprised us with but here they are on the blog!

Thank you friends for loving and spoiling this little baby, I know he/she will love you all.

Oh baby Z, I want to meet you! I know you still have a lot more growing to do but I am really excited. Lately you have been a lot more clear with your likes and dislikes:LIKES:Meatballs - Your friend Erica just got your mommy a foot long to share with daddy but I ate the whole thing :) it was good, I hope you loved it!Sweets - Whether I am in office depot and you really want a lollipop or if I plan my Friday evening around making brownies you make your love for sugar known.DISLIKES:French vanilla creamer - I usually take my coffee black but sometimes a little creamer was a nice treat, not anymore. You hated it! When did it start tasting so bad?!Meat - If it has already been made we can eat it but if I need to cook it... no thank you!

You make me laugh all the time. We found out that you can hear us now, I was talking to you before but it is even more fun now. Thinking that you are starting to recognize our voices and can hear how silly your dad is, it is a treat. Hope you kick me soon, I wanna feel you.Love, Mommy

Ryan and I danced at our wedding to You & Me by DMB, it is one of our favorite songs and the lyrics are just so perfect. I plan on listening [on repeat] to most of our wedding songs today :) I could not be luckier, we worked hard to get to where we are today and we are reaping the rewards in this extremely fun time in our lives.

At 5:30 am our alarm went off and about 20 minutes later we started to get up, Ryan asked me to go get him some oj while he jumped in the shower. When I got to the kitchen I found a pregnancy pillow, roses, a new perfume and two cute maternity tops - I cannot wait until my belly is big enough that I can rock the "Good Things Come In Large Bellies" top! We had made a no gift promise because we leave on our cruise on Monday but my wonderful little husband said he just got excited and wanted to get me something new to sleep comfortably with ❤ I cannot fault him for that haha he is wonderful. I love him oh so much.

We both have work today so we decided to celebrate with an early breakfast on the water, it was delicious and really nice to have the entire place to ourselves.

This is my teeniest Valentine, Baby Z I hope you enjoy the pancakes I'm going to spoil you with at lunchxo

Hi Everyone! This is Kristen, Nikol's other pregnant friend. When Nikol asked if I would like to guest post on her blog, I of course said yes! Nikol and I are fortunate enough to have met through our husbands, who have been friends since high school. I really couldn't have gotten any luckier with the woman Ryan married (thanks Ryan!) because Nikol and I quickly became friends too.

When I found out Ryan & Nikol were pregnant shortly after my husband and I became pregnant, I was beyond ecstatic. In fact, I was screaming so loud my husband had to run into the room to make sure I was okay. There are so many great reasons to be pregnant at the same time as your friend. I'm not going to lie, one of them is being able to complain to each other about the stupidest stuff and knowing the other person will understand completely. But the main reason is of course our kids get to grow up together. A built in best friend, it really doesn't get much better than that!

The day my husband and I found out we were pregnant will forever be one of the best days of our lives. I can remember every detail like it was yesterday, knowing that our lives would be forever changed and the feeling of excitement and terror all at the same time. I think the only other day that has topped that would be the day we found out we were having a girl! Being able to see her on the ultrasound looking like a little person was amazing.

Every pregnancy is different, so although Nikol and I are a few weeks apart (I am currently 28 weeks) we have definitely had different experiences. I really don't have much to complain about. My pregnancy has been smooth and relatively symptom free. I had the normal nausea at the beginning and now we have moved on to back and hip pain but it really isn't too bad (I say that now...check back with me in a few more weeks!). The best parts about being pregnant are being able to see her (the few times we have), hearing her strong little heartbeat, and feeling her kick. It really is just indescribable. It is one of the coolest yet weirdest feelings I have ever experienced. I love being able to share her kicks with my husband too, so he doesn't feel too left out of this whole pregnancy thing.

I have been taking a picture of my belly once a month since the day we found out we were pregnant. It really is amazing to look at these pictures because although yes I am with myself everyday, it is hard to notice such a gradual change. So I just wanted to share them with everyone too!

Thanks Nikol for letting me post on your blog! I can't wait for Baby M's and Baby Z's arrivals and the impending play-dates!

A few of my friends have been already laughing about how a Anderson-ZumMallen baby will not be lacking any booty haha so when the apple week came along I couldn't stop myself from humming the Apple Bottom Jeans lyrics, its just too cute to think of a bottom heavy baby.

Our midwife appointment went really well, we were able to meet another one of the midwifes at the practice and I felt like I connected with her, she is closer to my age, and seemed really relaxed with us. Even though the appointment wasn't in the birth center it should be open this week and I plan on going in to take a tour as soon as I can. We were able to hear the heartbeat and that little sucker has a strong one I have heard rumors that if you are having a girl it is much quicker, these old wives tales seem pretty fun so here we go:

-How do you carry: This one is no fun because I have no idea, this is my first so maybe you can tell me.-Heart rate: 132 first doppler and 134 second doppler, they say if its under 140 you're having a boy.-Craving: Sweets usually mean a girl and salty/sour usually mean a boy. I am having both and they are equal, I go between salty toast/sour worms and chocolate brownies... I'm PRETTY sure we aren't having twins but man that would be fun haha-Body clues: I have dry hands so that means boy BUT I also have new acne and that means girl.-Chinese birth chart: it's a girl!-Sympathy cravings: Ryan is not having these so that means we're having a boy!-Morning sickness: Didn't have it, so that usually means a boy.-Necklace test: If its goes in a circle [which it did] its a girl.

So there you have it haha I have no idea what we are having but it was a pretty fun little test.

Baby Z, looks like we have to wait about 2/3 weeks to be able to see you again in an ultrasound but daily I get to talk to you and I am very patiently waiting to start feeling your little kicks. I am so excited to feel these flutters and to be able to feel how active you are in there. Our midwife says everything looks great and that you and I are growing right on time. You are slowly starting to show and even though we are still not sure if you are a boy or a girl you have many people guessing! Friends, family, Massage Envy employees and even customers at your mommies salon. We are on the edge of our seats little friend. You have a big group of friends and a few even came to help dad paint your nursery today, we are really happy with the color! Can't wait to get your bed all ready and start decorating and getting this nesting started. While a few friends painted I got to hang out with someone I am sure you will become tiny friends with, Eva is expecting a little boy due just over a month before you are! Excited to meet youxo Mommy

Does this weather put you in the mood for soup? I know that it's all I have been wanting lately, and when it comes to easy meals, the crock pot is my best friend. My husband and I have an affinity for caramelized onions, we could eat them with everything. Well, if you feel the same way then this soup will be perfect for you. Whoever you decide to share it with will also be all warm and grateful.

Set your crock pot on high, then add onions, brown sugar, butter, salt and balsamic and mix until combined. Cover and let cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and brown on the edges. Add in flour, then stir thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in beer [also drink one while you're at it], beef stock, thyme, and pepper. Then turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.Before serving, cut your bread of choice into slices. Fill soup bowls to the top, then cover with a slice of bread and a slice of cheese. Set under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Be careful when serving as bowls will be hot! I actually do not enjoy the bread on top of my soup so as you can see pictured I eat it on the side, whatever floats your cheese boat.

I am in pain. I realize my posts have all been a bit fluffy and it's because I write them when I am on a baby high and I have forgotten what has been hurting and what hasn't been all rainbows. Well right now I hurt. A lot. I got super lucky and missed the morning sickness boat but what I have now is terrible headaches and stomach pains that are hard to work through. I understand the headaches are hormonal and I am thankful that the baby is healthy and is causing all of this to happen but they do still hurt. Usually a few sips of coffee take them away, occasionally it is a migraine and all that can be done for those is darkness and if sleep comes, that is even better. I am really looking forward to my midwife appointment tomorrow, not only do I want to talk through what I have been experiencing but I also want to feel more of a commitment from my midwife. We decided to go with a birth center that should have been opened in January but as many businesses, opening has been delayed. I am just ready to be inside this clean and shiny new birth center and get to know the place that I will be birthing our child.I plan on laying down and eating more bread until work, have a great day! love, Nikol

But this little lemon sized baby got to take their first plane ride this past weekend, we went to be with family in Kansas City and thankfully he/she flies well which is more than I can say for myself. Kansas City was filled with family, laughs and BBQ. BBQ was a must have, I'm not sure how to distinct between just wanting to eat something and craving it but so far I am still loving on carbs, occasionally wanting very sour food and always enjoying my food at the spiciest level.

Friday is our midwife appointment, I'm hoping that their Long Beach Birth Center will be open by then. They are putting the finishing touches on it and I just cannot wait to start having our appointments there. The other location is in Laguna Hills so it will be great to have one right in our neighborhood! I know we don't get an ultrasound hearing the heartbeat is all that I need.

Not too much to report but we are all doing well over here, counting down until March 16th [38 days] for our gender reveal party! My stomach still hasn't popped out so I am feeling a bit awkward, this stage isn't the most flattering haha.

Have a nice day and check back soon I have a girlfriend that is due on May 3rd, she is going to post a few blogs too!xo